EGO FRIENDLY
Location
FA-255
Department
Art + Design
Abstract
EGO FRIENDLY Liz Pavlou Department of Art and Design, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL 60625 Products relating to health and wellness are very prevalent online, in stores, and in our day to day lives. In its entirety, it has become its own culture here in the United States. Through my research, I’ve learned how health and wellness is heavily influenced by East Asian culture and philosophies. These wellness products have become more accessible nowadays and are usually targeted towards the Millennial and Gen Z demographics. The graphic design of these products focuses on looking natural, green, minimalistic, and almost sacred through its references to spirituality. There is a push for society to return to our roots through natural healing, specialty foods, and spiritual practices. Consuming certain products labeled as plant-based vegan, organic, natural, cruelty-free, and eco-friendly has become greatly intertwined with this culture. This lifestyle has been deemed trendy online and with that comes oversaturation and removal of its actual roots. I will be delving into the spiritual side and focusing on the ego of the consumer and how living this way may feed into someone’s ego which is counterintuitive. I will be referencing Buddhist and Hindu philosophies from my research and show how that overlaps with modern products and culture. These cultures were appropriated in the 60s and this stands today by modern companies. There is a sense that the consumer is putting their health in their own hands and buying into a spiritual and holistic lifestyle that will heal them. However, companies have capitalized on wholesome practices like yoga for their own gain, and make exaggerated claims about products to make it seem more eco-friendly. Through my process, I will show the relationship the modern consumer has to health and wellness culture and the darker reality of it all. I will collage packing labels from these specialty products and show my own personal journey navigating my own spirituality. My goal is to show the dream-like state the consumer feels when they put their faith in this way of consuming to better themselves. I will achieve this through abstract collage, audio, and video projection.
Faculty Sponsor
Lauren Meranda
EGO FRIENDLY
FA-255
EGO FRIENDLY Liz Pavlou Department of Art and Design, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL 60625 Products relating to health and wellness are very prevalent online, in stores, and in our day to day lives. In its entirety, it has become its own culture here in the United States. Through my research, I’ve learned how health and wellness is heavily influenced by East Asian culture and philosophies. These wellness products have become more accessible nowadays and are usually targeted towards the Millennial and Gen Z demographics. The graphic design of these products focuses on looking natural, green, minimalistic, and almost sacred through its references to spirituality. There is a push for society to return to our roots through natural healing, specialty foods, and spiritual practices. Consuming certain products labeled as plant-based vegan, organic, natural, cruelty-free, and eco-friendly has become greatly intertwined with this culture. This lifestyle has been deemed trendy online and with that comes oversaturation and removal of its actual roots. I will be delving into the spiritual side and focusing on the ego of the consumer and how living this way may feed into someone’s ego which is counterintuitive. I will be referencing Buddhist and Hindu philosophies from my research and show how that overlaps with modern products and culture. These cultures were appropriated in the 60s and this stands today by modern companies. There is a sense that the consumer is putting their health in their own hands and buying into a spiritual and holistic lifestyle that will heal them. However, companies have capitalized on wholesome practices like yoga for their own gain, and make exaggerated claims about products to make it seem more eco-friendly. Through my process, I will show the relationship the modern consumer has to health and wellness culture and the darker reality of it all. I will collage packing labels from these specialty products and show my own personal journey navigating my own spirituality. My goal is to show the dream-like state the consumer feels when they put their faith in this way of consuming to better themselves. I will achieve this through abstract collage, audio, and video projection.